


You're The Bees Knees

by orphan_account



Category: Twenty One Pilots
Genre: A Gift From Your Local Pansexual, Coming Out, Happy pride month, In a sense, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-09
Updated: 2017-06-09
Packaged: 2018-11-12 03:31:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,303
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11153349
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Tyler has a secret.He figures it's time he told Josh.





	You're The Bees Knees

**Author's Note:**

> So it's like 2:30 in the morning, and I had the inspiration to write this around 1AM, so I poured it all out onto a word document and tried to edit it as best as I could with a sleep deprived brain. If there's typos, I apologise.
> 
> Also please click the link in the story, it's very important to my wellbeing.

Tyler has a secret.

Okay, Tyler has a few secrets, but this one was important. It had taken years for him to finally be okay with himself, to accept that this was who he was. And even that acceptance went so far, he still hadn't said it out loud.

Sometimes it was hard enough to even say it in his mind.

But today was the day.

Today was the day when Tyler was going to tell Josh. He didn't know why today was the day he had to tell Josh, and he's pretty sure it's a bad idea, because they're only halfway through tour, so when Josh inevitably hates Tyler, they are going to have to suffer through another year of awkward concerts together.

What if Josh doesn't even feel comfortable sleeping in the same bunk as him? Or even the same bus?

What if Josh told everyone?

What if Josh didn't want to be in the same band as Tyler?

 _No_. Despite Josh's conservative upbringing, Tyler knew he was the kindest, most accepting soul Tyler had ever met.

That still didn't stop the anxiety and doubts gnawing at his mind, plaguing his imagination with _‘What If?’_ scenarios.

Tyler probably wasn't helping his anxiety, leaving it this late. He had asked a staff member to grab Josh about ten minutes ago before proceeding to sit on the couch of the dressing room, decked in concert gear. They still had an hour or so before they had last call, but Tyler had left it to the last minute. He had all day to tell Josh, multiple opportunities actually, but the sick feeling of fear clawed up his throat and forced it closed. Stuffed the truth back down into Tyler's body.

“Tyler?” Came Josh's voice, paired with with a knock on the door as he entered. They stopped caring about privacy years ago, maybe that would change after today.

Dammit, the fear and anxiety was back again. There was only one other person who had found out Tyler's secret.

Jenna.

It had been going so well, he had pushed down the guilt he felt of keeping it from her and carried on their relationship. It was going amazing as far as Tyler could tell, Jenna suspected nothing and they were… happy. Yeah, they were happy.

It hadn’t worked out though.

Tyler had come back from the shower one night, finally staying at a hotel instead crammed in a tour bus for the first time that month. He had left her in the room as he went to clean up, washing away the grime of post-concert sweat.

He returned to see a shocked and distraught Jenna, a laptop open in front of her with Tyler’s google history.

An explanation was futile at that point so Tyler didn't even try, they both knew what it meant and Jenna was smart enough to click the pieces together. It obviously hadn’t worked out after that, but Tyler was grateful enough that Jenna kept it quiet.

She had every chance to go blab to the press, but she still kept it to herself, despite Tyler lying to her from the beginning of their relationship.

Tyler did try to explain that he had enjoyed his time with her, even if it didn't seem that way. Jenna, understandably, didn't quite believe him, but she had given him one final hug goodbye, and that's all he could ask for. At least she didn't see him as something monstrous enough not to even deserve touch.

Josh had been his only pillar of support after that, Tyler falling in and out of a depressed state at the loss of her. He couldn't explain how grateful he was to Josh though. He had asked no questions when Tyler explained that Jenna left, only opened his arms and accepted Tyler.

Guilt ate away at him, knowing that he was taking advantage of his best friends kindness while lying to him, but he already lost someone close to him already to the truth. It had been too soon to tell Josh.

The wound too tender.

But that cut in his heart had healed and the disappointment in himself for living a lie came back. So now it was time to confess, to throw the truth in Josh's face and hope for the best.

“Josh, I have something to tell you,” Tyler ran his hands through his hair. He didn't realise it would be this hard. He had practiced in front of the mirror so many times before. Reciting lines and yet here he was, blanking on anything to say, his body shaking with anxiety. _Was he going to throw up?_ He hoped not. “I was actually born under a different name…”

Josh blinked slowly, it was actually kind of adorable, but that wasn't what Tyler should focus on, “What?”

“My real name,” Tyler took in a shaky breath, “Is Barry Benson. Technically Barry B Benson, but I guess that’s not really important.”

“Oh, ummm. I guess that's cool... is there any reason you changed it?” Josh questioned, confused as he made his way over to the spare sofa, thinking for a second before asking, “I mean why would you hide this from me for so long…?”

“Because, heck, I don't know how to say this,” Tyler got up and began to pace, trying to release the pent up nerves in his body, “Because I was born a bee.”

“What?” Josh asked, staring at Tyler. He didn't look disgusted which was a good sign, but the blank look on his face wasn't doing much to relieve Tyler's anxieties, “Is this some, like ‘I’m an animal even though I was born human’ thing’, which is okay, I’ll accept you regardless. I just wasn't expecting that, that's all.”

“No,” Tyler shook his head, “I'm an actual bee. I was born a [bee](https://tyjosmouthiskillingme.tumblr.com/post/161577433365/tyler-joseph-is-barry-b-benson-confirmed).”

“Prove it.”

Tyler immediately pulled open his mouth, dragging off the skin suit from the framework of his body, revealing his real, tiny, little self, standing in the cockpit of the control centre.

Barry nervously shuffled in place, not looking at Josh. He didn't want to see his reaction, would rather just wait for the inevitable harsh words or the bug spray to come out.

“Dude, I love bees.”

Wait, what? “You mean you're not going to hate me?”

“I mean it's a little weird, but it's still you.” Josh walked over to him, cupping his hands for Barry to fly onto, “You've been my best friend for almost seven years now, why would I ditch you over something like this.”

“Really?” If it was physically possible for bees to cry, tears would probably be streaming down his face. Maybe he should get back into the human suit just to express Josh the length of his emotions.

“Yeah, dude.” Josh said with a little shrug, making a nonchalant face, “I mean I can keep a secret. You know I'll support you no matter what.”

Barry was in shock.

“I'm here for you. This doesn't change anything.” He gave Barry a supportive smile, one that showed of the slight crinkle he got when he grinned and the way his tongue poked through his teeth. “I'll even dye my hair yellow next, just to show you how much I care.”

“You'd do that for me?”

“Of course,” Josh brought Barry up to his face, moving him forward so Barry could hug his cheek, “You're my best friend, dude.”

This was all Barry needed, just love and support for something he couldn't change, for being himself. Someone to accept him with open arms and tell him that he wasn't wrong or a monster for being who he was made to be. It was like years of fear and guilt rolled of his shoulders, crashing to the floor.

He had found a home.

**Author's Note:**

> Do you ever just hate yourself? And you know you're creating something wrong? Something that shouldn't be in this world? And you're continuing to do something despite knowing that you could lose a friend? That's me right now. I'm sorry god. I'm sorry mum. I'm sorry Tyler Joseph. I'm sorry kik squad. 
> 
> I have sinned and regretted,  
> Please forgive me,
> 
> Fall.
> 
> (Also to the group chat, please don't hate me. Also I should inform you that I created that chat, so you can't kick me. Sorry not sorry.)
> 
> ((That's a bluff. I don't know if you can kick me or not, but if you try and remove me, I'll cry))
> 
> (((I hate myself twice as much as anyone else could hate me for this)))


End file.
